Introduction
Bradford has been successful in securing funding from the Home Office Drug Strategy Unit to support two projects in Bradford - one based in Keighley and  one in Holmewood.  There are approximately 94 Positive Futures Projects running throughout the country, with a further 10 being funded by the Football Foundation.   The projects are supported by Sport England, the Home Office Drug Strategy Directorate and the Youth Justice Board, the Department of Health, Connexions (the Department for Education and Skills) and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The projects aim to use sport to reduce the anti-social behaviour, crime and drug misuse among 10-19 year olds from areas of high need.  Both projects will target most young people who are ‘most at risk’ i.e. risk of offending, drug misuse, anti-social behaviour or exclusion from school, on the programme and to include 17-19 year olds.  The success of the project will be measured by achieving:

• A reduction in youth offending
• A reduction in drug use amongst young people on the project
• An increase in the regular participation in physical activity by 10 to 19 year olds.

In addition we hope the programme would support young people back into education or training and therefore help them secure employment.  

More information can be found at: www.positivefutures.gov.uk

Positive Futures > New website

Positive Futures > Press Coverage and News

Click   for Positive Futures Keighley Awards Event - March 2006.

Click   for Positive Futures Newsletter - January 2004.

Click   for Bradford Telegraph & Argus article - 14 November 2003.

Click   for Keighley News article - 14 November 2003.

Click   for Bradford Telegraph & Argus article - 23 June 2003.

Positive Futures > Positive Futures for over 50,000 young people

New research by the Home Office-managed social inclusion project Positive Futures, shows that over 50,000 young people have benefited from the scheme since its launch in 2000.  At present, almost 19,000 participants across 107 projects are gaining access to educational, employment and lifestyle opportunities through sports such as football, cricket and basketball.

Key findings from the MORI research show that in the last 6 months:

• 91% of participants on Positive Futures funded projects show a meaningful engagement with their project

• 1,755 young people were reported as doing better at school

• 1,308 joined a sports team

• 233 young people secured a job, with a further 359 actively looking for a job

• Over 300 young people volunteered on Positive Futures and other projects

• 221 achieved the Community Sports Leaders Awards (CSLA)

Positive Futures projects are based in the country’s most deprived areas, and offer a long term, partnership approach to working with young people.  Partner agencies helping to deliver programmes include youth services, police, Connexions, schools, local authorities and sports clubs.

Arrie Bygrave is a 16 year-old volunteer coach with Positive Futures in Clacton.  She says:  “I heard about the project and said I would like to do some coaching. I went to see the project coordinator, and he sent me to do an FA coaching course. That was a few months ago.  The course was good. I learned about different training activities to do with kids, and about the Child Protection Act and first aid. There was an FA coaching certificate at the end.  The project’s really good for the kids – it gives them something to do. It’s good for their health too, and their attitude has been great since they’ve been coming down. The coaching helps them, but it helps me too. I learn loads, more and more every week.”

Crime Prevention > Positive Futures > Keighley
This project commenced in April 2002 and has brought together a wide range of agencies to work in partnership.  These include:

• Joint Activity Service

• Youth Service

• Police

• Local Schools

• Keighley Cougars Rugby Club

• Social Services

• Airedale Primary Care Trust

• Keighley Anti-Crime Partnership

• Bradford & District Drug & Alcohol Team

• Sport & Recreation Department

• Anti-Social Behaviour Teams

• Local Community Groups

The project offers a mixture of sporting activities and personal development programmes which will cover drug awareness, social responsibility, healthy living, team work and team building.

Click   for Keighley News coverage of Awards Event - March 2006.

Click   for Positive Futures Keighley Awards Event - March 2006.

Click   for Keighley Project Newsletter – September 2003.

Click   for Keighley Project Newsletter – May 2003.

For more details contact:

Eric Gibbs
Project Director
Joint Activity Service
Dobson Locks
Apperley Lane
Bradford
BD10 0PY

Tel. 01274 613141

Crime Prevention > Positive Futures > Holmewood
The Home Office have just announced a grant to support a new Positive Futures Project in the Holmewood area.  This project will target the most at risk young people aged 10-19 years old.  Work is underway to establish this project and more details will be soon available.

For more information contact:

Amanda Jackson
Youth Service Area Manager
Holmewood Centre Point
Broadstone Way
Holmewood
Bradford
BD4 9BU  

Tel:  (01274) 751158